Straw-stacker



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheeh 1.

G. W. STEPHAN.

STRAW STAGKER Patented Dec. 18-, 1888.

[JV V'ENTOR WITNESSES.

(No Model.) 8 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. W. STEPHAN. STRAW STAOKER.

No. 394,666. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

E a i 0 I Il WITNESSES N. PETERS. mwum ner. Wuhinian n c (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. W. STEPHAN.

STRAW STAGKER. No. 394,666. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

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I 17 Q, T o a WITNESSES, IJVV'EJV'TOR,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. G. W. STEPHAN. STRAW STAGKER.

N0. 394,666. 9 0 Patented Dec. 18,1888.

u J a Illlllllll I! III lmlmnnmmu r i 11m Iii r Lxlhngrapher. mum-" wan UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \V. STEPHAN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

STRAW-STACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,666, dated December 18, 1888.

Application filed April 20, 1888. Serial No. 271,304. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,-

Be it known that I, Gnoncn W. STEPHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of (lark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Hackers, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

TlllSll'lVGllllOll relates to certain new and useful improvements in straw stacker-s mounted upon a truck independent of the thrashing-machine with which the stacker is intended to be used.

The essential objects of the invention are, first, to provide mechanism for automatically swinging the carrier-frame and its adjuncts from side to side, the mechanism being so arranged that as one lateral limit is reached the operating devices are automatically transferred from one position to the other, so as to actto swing the carrier back to the other limit; second, to provide mechanism for elevating the rear end of the carrier, the mechanism being so arranged that upon winding a crank-shaft ropes or chains are manipulated and elevating-bars hinged together brought more or less into a straight line, whereby their outer ends vary in the distance they stand apart, and the carrier and its base, to which said bars are respectively connected, made to stand at ditt'erent relative positions; third, to provide mechanism for transmitting motion from a given shaft to the carrier-belt and to the operatingmecllanism by which the carrier is laterally swung; fourth, to provide mechanism for automatically inmarting a vibratory motion to the forward end board and the forward side boards; fifth, to provide certain other detailed mechanism, hereinafter more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and on which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved straw-stacker; Fig. 2, a sectional view, on the line a: y of Fig. l, of the carrierframe; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the stacker on a large scale; Fig. 4, a detail view of the forward portion of the carrier-frame, showing the vibrating end and side boards and their actuating devices; Fig. 5, a partial front and sectional view of the same parts at one corner of the machine; Fig. 6, a sectional detail view of the Windlass-shaft of the swinging mechanism; Fig. 7, a plan view of the truck, the swinging mechanism, the elevating mechanism, and various minor parts with the carrier removed; Fig. 8, detail views of parts of the sideboardoperating devices; Fig. 9, a detail enlarged view, partly in section and partly in rear elevation, of the turn-table and support;-

ing-bolster; Fig. 10, a side elevation of the same parts; Fig. 11, a detail modified view of the rope-guide and a brace; Fig. 12, a modified form of constructing the partsrepresented in Fig. 9; Fig. 1Il,an enlarged perspective view of the shifting devices for the swingingmechanism.

The letter A designates the side beams of a truck of any approved construction, mounted upon wheels B and carrying turn-table bolsters C and C, to the former of which is strongly secured a spindle, D, by means of a flanged base, E, and bolts F, as seen in Fig. 9. Upon the bolsters C and C is secured an annular track, G, whose function is to guide the rope or chain of the swinging mechanism, and also to form a support for the upper portion of the turn-table, presently to be described. The said upper portion of the turn-table consists of a stout transverse beam, II, two other transverse beams, I, and two longitudinal beams, J. To the beam H is secured an annular plate, K, by means of the bolts whose ends rest upon a plate, L, as seen in Figs. 9 and 10, which plate has a central hole that fits snugly over the spindle D, while the essential weight incumbent upon the upper portion of the turn-table is sustained by the plate K, resting upon the flange E of the spindles D, and also by the track G and the standards lV the latter only in case the upper portion of the turn-table sways somewhat to one side, in which instance the standards brace it against further tipping and tendency to break the spindle D. Binding and jam nuts 0 are screwed upon the spindles D to properly hold the beam H and plate K down.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the letterP designates two stout inclined carrier-supports secured strongly to the beams J about over the transverse center line of the turn-table and braced by two sets of stay-rods, Q and R,

secured at their lower ends to a heavy plate, L, (already mentioned,) itself connected with the beam H, as seen in Figs. 9 and 10, and extending thence in a forward and backward direction to the annular track G, with which it engages at T, as seen in Figs. 1 and 10. Inclined roller-standards U are also connected with the beams J and the supports P, forming additional braces to the latter.

The letter V designates the carrier-frame, which is of the usual type, save in the particulars hereinafter mentioned, to the rear end of'which is hinged a section, V, which may be turned forward and upon the main section when not in use. This frame carries the usual slatted belts, V. Stout metallic plates X are bolted to the forward ends of the sides of the frame V, as more clearly seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and constitute bearings for the driving-shaft Y of the belts WV. These plates are constructed with sleeves Z, which fit openings in the upper ends of the supports P, and through which extends the shaft Y. These sleeves form pivots upon which the carrierframe turns in its vertical adjustment.

I will now refer to the vibrating end and side boards of the carrier-frame. The end board, a, is secured to arms I), pivoted upon brackets 0, extending from the plates X, and engaging at their lower ends with eccentricstraps 61 through eyes 6, whereby a vibratory or back-and-forward motion is imparted to the end board, substantially in the manner set forth in Letters Patent granted to Henry Stephan and myself July 29, 1884, No. 302,599. The eccentrics f, upon which said eccentricstraps are mounted, are carried by the carriershaft Y. The side boards, g, are hinged to the frame by suitable hinges, as at 72 and to each of them is flexibly connected a pitman, i, preferably in the manner more clearly shown in Fig. 8, in which 7' is a plate having jaws 7;, whose inner faces are rounded off and provided with a bolt, I, which passes through the pitman c'. The linlgs m are pivoted to the frame and actuating-rods 0, which at one end connect with the eccentric-straps and at the other with the pitmen 1', whereby they are given a reciprocating and a vibratory motion, the latter acting to vibrate the said boards g to and fro in a lateral direction. The reciprocating motion of the actuating-rods is due to the action of the eccentrics. Thus it will be observed that as straw is delivered into the carrier from the thrashing-machine it is agitated and assisted in being engaged by the carrier-belts and prevented from a tendency to accumulate and fall to the ground.

will now refer to. the means for elevating and; lowering the carrier, which consists of bars 1) and q, hinged to each, other and respectively pivoted to the supports P and stout hangers v, secured to the frame V. There is aset of these bars at either side, and the angle of their adjacent ends is such to prevent them from assuming a perfectly-straight line. To, each bar 19 is connected a rope or side.

chain, 3, which passes over a roller, t, and thence to a Windlass on a transverse shaft, 1:, mounted in the bearings secured to the standards U. This shaft carries a gear-wheel, 10, with which meshes a pinion, w, on a crankshaft, a, mounted in bearings secured to one of the supports P and standards U. This shaft carries a ratchet, Z), with which engages a pawl, c, for the purpose of locking the shaft '1 against rotation. By taking hold of the crank of the shaft a the carrier can be raised and lowered at will, and is sustained by the devices justdescribed in any set positions.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be observed that a cross-shaft, e, serves pivot between the hangers r and thebrace g. This shaft is screwthreaded and provided with nuts f g, and h. The hangers are held against lateral movement by the nuts g and h and the bars (1 by the nuts g and f This constitutes a strong connection at a point where great strengthis needed.

I will now refer to the swinging mechanism by which the carrier is automatically swung from side to side, so as to deposit the straw in a long and curved stack to save the necessity of having men scatter the straw to either side of a single place of deposit, as is necessary when the carrier does not swing from side to This mechanism consists of a shaft, 1'', mounted in bearings preferably connected with a transverse beannj, of the main frame,

and provided with two drums, h, loosely mounted thereon and having clutch-faces Z. The shaft alse carries a worm-gear, m, which rotates the shaft and receives motion in the manner presently to be described. This shaft is further provided with a sliding double clutch, 0, working over a feather-key, 1). By engaging this clutch with one or the other of the drums 72. they are rotated and draw on one or the other of the chains or ropes q, which are connected strongly to the plate L, and thereby the forward end of this plate is drawn rearward in one or the other direction and the upper portion of the turn-table corre spondingly turned, so as to swing the carrier laterally at its rear end upon the spindle D as a center. The ropes or chains are guided by drawing against the periphery of the annular track G. In the detail View, Fig. 11, I have illustrated this track as provided with an annular groove. This is a preferred form, because it will support the ropes or chains better. The same form is shown in Fig. 12. It will be understood that the rope L is guided by its engagement with the annular track, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 10. In order to change the direction of the swing of the carrier, the sliding clutch 0 must be moved-out of en gagemen t with the drum which last drew upon the rope or chain and put into engagement with the other drum. \Vhile there are several ways in which this may be done, the. preferred plan is that illustrated in Figs. 7 and 13, in which 7? is a lever having one end its bifurcated to engage the double clutch o and the other end pivotally connected with a pivoted lever, s. This lever is held at one or the other side by either of two pivoted detents, t, the heavier end of which falls down upon the lever and looks it. I secure to the beam H an inclined block, a, and a spring, 0, so as to engage the detent at one end and elevate it to allow the lever to move to the opposite side under the pressing influence of the spring, the free end of which, being in advance of the block, engages the lever before the block engages the detent to such an extent as to put the spring under tension, by which time the block engages the detent and the spring throws the lever into engagement with the other detent. Thus the sliding clutch is automatically moved from side to side. The spring and block are in duplicates, one set being placed to act upon one detent and one side of the lever s and the other set to correspondingly act upon the other detent and the other side of said lever.

I will now refer to the mechanism by which motion is imparted to the carrier-belts and the swinging mechanism. A shaft, 2, mounted upon the bolster C, carries a belt-pulley, 3, which receives motion from any convenient source, preferably from a belt operated by the thrashing-machine. This shaft also carries a sprocket-gear, 4, which transmits rotary motion through a sprocket-chain,5,and a sprocketpinion, 6, to a worm-shaft, 7.

the beam j, carries a worm-gear, 9, which meshes with the worm-shaft 7, and also earries a worm, 10, which meshes with the wormgear m. By this means the shaft 2 rotates slowly, but with great power. The shaft 2 also carries a beveled pinion, 11, which engages one side of a double cog-rim,12, mounted in an annular recess, 13, in the flange E, and said cog-rim meshes with another beveled pinion, ll, carried by a shaft, 15. This shaft carries a sprocket-wheel, 16, which carries a An idler-shaft, 8, mounted in suitable bearings secured to sprocket-chain, 17, that meshes with the sprocket-wheel 18 on the shaft Y, by which the carrier-belts are operated.

In Fig. 12 a modification is shown in which said shaft carrying a miter-pinion at each end, which mesh with corresponding pinions on the shafts 2 and 15.

lVhile the blocks u and springs 2 are the preferred means for actuating the levers s and r, by which the double clutch is shifted, and while it is preferred to connect said blocks and springs to the central beam of the rotatable portion of the turn-table, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to these devices nor to this location of them. By means of the nuts 0 the plate K can be forced down firmly against the flange E and sulfifrom having power to blow the carrier of the stacker to one side.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a truck, a stationary portion of a turn-table, and a central spindle, of a rotatable portion of the turntable mounted upon the former portion and fitted to said spindle, supports carried by said rotatable-portion of the turn-table, and a carrier mounted upon said supports, a shaft, means to rotate it, two independent drums mounted on the shaft, means to clutch them alternately to the shaft, and a rope extending from each of them to the movable portion of the turn-table, whereby upon rotating said shaft and clutching one or the other of said drums said poition is partially rotated.

The combination, with a truck, a stationary portion of aturn-table, and a central spindle, of a rotatable portion of a turn-table mounted upon the former portion and fitted to said spindle, supports carried by said rotatable portion and a carrier mounted upon said supports, a shaft carrying two independent drums and a sliding double clutch arranged to engage either of said drums, mechanism to rotate said shaft, ropes connected with said drums and the said rotatable portion of the turn-table, and devices to throw the double clutch out of engagement with one of the drums and into engagement with the other, and projections on the movable portion of the turn-table arranged to actuate said devices.

3. The combination, with a truck and the stationary portion of a turn-table having a central spindle, an annular track, a rotatable cog-rim, and a driving-shaft provided with a pinion which engages said rim, of a rotatable portion of a turn-table mounted upon the stationary portion, fitted to said spindle, and carrying a shaft provided with a pinion which receives motion from said cog'rim, standards adapted to engage said annular track and a set of reverselydisposed inclined blocks and springs, supports carried by the rotatable portion of said turn-table, a carrier mounted upon said supports, a shaft carrying two independent drums, and a sliding double clutch arranged to engage either of said drums, said shaft being geared to the shaft carried by the stationary portion of the turn-table, levers s, and a lever, r, and locking-detents for the lever 8', said detents and lever 5' being adapted to be engaged by said blocks and springs, respectively, to actuate the sliding clutch, and chains connecting with said drums and the forward end of the rotatable portion of the turn-table.

l. The combination, with a truck, the stationary portion of a turn-table, and a central spindle having a large base with an annular shoulder and secured to said portion, and a cient friction created to prevent the wind, rotatable cog-rim fitted in said shoulder con- TOO centrieally to said spindle, of the movable portion of a turntable havinga plate secured to it, fitted round said spindle, and supported by the said base, a driving-shaft carried by the stationary portion and having a pinion which meshes with said rim, and another shaft carried by the movable portion and having a pinion which also meshes with said rim.

5. The com l,)iuation,with the stationary portion of a turn-table and annular track and a central spindle having a large base, of the movable portion of the turn-table havinga plate secured to it, mounted around said spindle, and supported by said base, also having dependent standards adapted to engage the upper side of said track, and the plate or yoke engaging at its ends with said track, secured to the said spindle near its middle, and extending diametrically over the movable portion of the turn-table.

6. The combination, with the truck, a shaft mounted in bearings carried by the truck, and two independent drums, and a sliding double clutchv and a worm-gear mounted upon said shaft, the clutch being rotatable with it and adapted to engage said drums alternately, of a worm-shaft, means to actuate it, an idlershaft carrying a worm-gear which meshes with said worm-shaft and having a worm which meshes with the worm-gear of the drum-shaft, a lever, r, engaging said clutch, a pivotedv lever, 3, connected with said lever 9-, and two detents to hold said lever.

7. The combination, with the rotatable portion of a turn-table and two sets of springs and inclined blocks, said sets being rever'sely disposed, of two detents, a pivoted lever, B, and a pivoted lever, r, engaged by said lever 8, said blocks and strips being adapted to engage, respectively, the detents and lever, the spring reaching the lever s first, by which it is resisted until put under tension, when the block releases the lever s by engaging the detent, for the purpose set forth.

- 8.. The combination, with the movable portion of the turn-table, two sets of standards secured tliereto, a pivoted carrier-frame mounted in one of said sets, a drum-shaft and guide-rollers carried by the other'set,'and a to. one set of said pivoted bars passing over said pulleys and wound around said drumshaft.

9. The combination, with the carrier-frame of a straw-stacker and side and end boards pivotally mounted thereon, of a shaft having eccentrics connected to the end board to vibrate it, actuating-rods operated by said eccentrics, and pitmen connected'to said rods and the respective side boards, whereby the latter are moved back and forth. 7

10. The combination, with the carrier of a straw-stacker and an end board pivotally mounted thereon and having projecting bars, of a shaft, eccentrics mounted thereon, and the eccentric-strap havin eyes through which the said bars project.

11. The combination, with the carrier of a straw-stacker and side boards pivotally connected thereto, of a shaft, eccentrics mounted thereon, actuatingrods connected to the straps of said eccentrics, pivoted links which sustain said rods, and the hinged boards.

12. The combination, with the truck, a shaft mounted in bearings carried by the truck, and two independent drums, of a sliding double clutch mounted upon the said shaft, the clutch being rotatable with the shaft and adapted to engage said drums alternately, actuating devices connected with said clutch, and a carrier rotatably mounted upon said truck, and

a projection which moves with the movable portion of the turn table and against said- GEORGE XVI S TEPHAN.

\Vitnesses:

WILBER CoLvIN, JAS. H. MAI-IAN. 

